What’s included

Arrival day

You’re welcome to check-in from 2.30pm (1pm for better and best rooms). Please join us for afternoon tea.

During your stay

Mornings

We’ll start playing each morning from 9.30am, and have a nice cup of tea halfway through.

Afternoons

Enjoy lunch together, then you’ve got some free time. There are fantastic walks right on the doorstep and our Discovery Points are ready to make the most out of your stay - there are plenty of maps and a selection of the best tried and tested walking and cycling routes to use, as well as local weather forecasts and public transport options too – plus those all important personal insights on things to spot, places to stop, and things to do along the way. Or you can always get some more rehearsal time in by yourself.

Evenings

There’s more practice before dinner from 5.30pm and again after, so you can spend the evening doing what you love best!

There’s usually an informal concert at the end of the holiday. Why not show off your new repertoire to other guests in the house?

Departure Day

Depart (on a high note!) after a leisurely breakfast

Harrington House

In one of the prettiest spots in the Cotswolds, Harrington House provides a stylish escape in the form of a traditional country retreat, with the trimmings and flourishes you’d expect. All set in a stately Georgian house that mirrors the mellow architectural styles of the Cotswolds and retains many of its original features; the most breathtaking is the sunny walled garden, surrounded by attractive landscaped gardens. As well as 29 bedrooms, two lounges, a cosy bar and pleasant dining room, there are further feathers in this handsome house’s hat. Quintessential English countryside, described by JB Priestly as, ‘the most English and least spoiled of all our countryside’, is just a short stroll away with pretty villages such as Chipping Campden and the Slaughters, rolling landscapes and classic trails from the Cotswold Way to the Gloucestershire Way and Monarch Way waiting for you to discover them.

At the house

At the rear of the house there is an attractive walled garden with a large croquet law

Dining

All holidays at our Country Houses are full board accommodation including evening meal on arrival to breakfast on the day of your departure. All of our Country Houses have a well-stocked bar serving local beers, wine and spirits.

Start your day with our extensive breakfast.

Take your fill from our famous self-service picnic lunches

A relaxed social dinner is a highlight of any stay at our Country Houses

Your evenings

Just relax and take it easy, or if you'd like to continue to chat with our guides and fellow guests then why not grab a drink or take part in one of our optional evening activities.

All of our bars are stocked with locally sourced drinks so you can really soak up your surroundings.

Additional information

Fire procedure is displayed in each room and explained to guests on arrival. Guests requiring assistance at an evacuation are identified at this time and door hanger cards are issued

Mobile phone reception is generally good from the main building

Assistance dogs accompanying visually or hearing impaired guests are welcome; dogs must be kept on a lead or harness at all times

Information can be provided in large print

Staff have received disability awareness training

Special diets can be catered for. Specialist food can be obtained with prior notice

Fridge for medication can be supplied

Rooms

Tea & coffee-making facilities, TV, Hairdryer, Toiletries, Wi-Fi

Stay in one of the main building’s beautifully presented rooms or in the adjacent cottages. With 26 bright and airy bedrooms, Harrington House has plenty of space and there’s a range of Good, Better and Best Rooms to choose from: for a stylish stay opt for rooms 1 or 2, both large master bedrooms located on the first floor that come complete with some of the original Palladian features dating back to 1730, pretty feature wallpaper and views out of the front of the building of classic Cotswolds scenery. Alternatively, for a romantic hideaway, plump for Room 23 in the Windrush Cottage and toast your good taste in the private garden that adjoins this large twin room.

All ‘Good’ rooms are ensuite and furnished to a high standard. There are also several ‘Better’ and ‘Best’ Rooms that are either larger or have a desirable view, a more luxurious mattress, larger television, enhanced toiletries and a fluffy bathrobe & slippers – upgrade your stay for just an extra £15-20 per person per night. You can choose a specific room for an extra £30 per room, subject to availability. Upgrade supplements still apply.

Facilities

After a day ambling through the Cotswolds, come back to the house and its specially tailored walkers’ facilities. Relax by sitting in the gardens or having a game of croquet on the lawn. Retire to either of the two lounges or climb the sweeping stately staircase to the very top of the house where there’s an observatory looking out across the rooftops of the village. Then pop in to the snug bar for a pint of local ale and a chin wag with fellow guests about their discoveries.

Food & Drink

As at all our country houses, holidays are full board, from afternoon tea served as a welcome treat through that evening’s meal to a hearty breakfast on the day of departure. Lunch is a chance to stock up on our famous picnic snacks. Food at Harrington House is hearty and has a strong emphasis on ingredients from the area and seasonal produce. Once a week the dining room hosts a Local Food Night, when, over a sociable evening, you might tuck in to Cotswold leg of lamb, Bibury rainbow trout and a selection of Gloucestershire cheeses, accompanied with Harrington House homemade chutneys.

What to Bring

You will need to bring a ukulele. Most beginners start with a soprano uke, that's the smallest one, but the larger concert and tenor models are also fine as they are tuned the same (G,C,E,A) and are identical to play. The baritone uke is tuned differently and not suitable. If you're buying, go for a cheap wooden-bodied uke. Any good music shop will advise you. Most are of Far Eastern origin and will cost you around £15-£30. A spare set of strings is also a good idea. The banjo ukulele or banjolele, while fingered the same, is a noisy beast, more expensive to buy and probably best avoided at the learning stage.

You will also need to bring a music stand. The final evening may include an informal concert; if you would like to play something at this, please bring some music for a ‘party piece’.